MCGREGOR RANGE, N.M. - Soldiers from Company C, Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, conducted hand grenade training September 18, at McGregor range near Fort Bliss, Texas.
The M67 grenade is the fragmentation hand grenade that replaced the M61 grenade used during the Vietnam War and the Mk2 'pineapple' used during World War II.
"For many of the soldiers this was their first experience throwing grenades," said Pfc. Gbedji Koutangni a Combat Engineer in Company C, 2-1 STB.
In order to maintain a safe training environment and enforce safety standards, 'pit' noncommissioned officers supervised the Soldiers who were conducting the training in the grenade pits, directing them on proper handling and use of the explosives.
Basic understanding and use of hand grenades is an important part of weapons and tactical training, which includes the proper steps in arming and deploying an M67 grenade: establishing a good throwing position, removing the safety clip, pulling the pin and throwing the grenade at the target.
Pvt. Rankl Zack, a combat engineer in Company C, 2-1 STB, learned alot from the grenade range. "The range helps familiarize us with different demolitions, and most importantly teaches us how to throw the grenade," said Rankl.
During the training, the soldiers also learned to identify types of grenades, characteristics of grenades and their uses.
For the soldiers of 2nd BCT, 1st AD, this multi-purpose training helped to refresh skills learned in basic training, helped sharpen individual skill and knowledge about a current weapon system, and gave leaders an opportunity to allow junior troops to develop their own leadership and teamwork abilities.
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